PLURAL PART 1

The Rules regarding Plural making of Nouns:

Plural is one of the Easy endings of English words.

Usually we add an S or Ies to a noun to make it plural.

Singular Nouns Plural Nouns

Book Books

Dog Dogs

Apple Apples

Berry Berries

Copy Copies

Take notice any noun that ends with y becomes ies in plural.

Remember I have used the word usually in the beginning. Yes, there are so many unusual cases when the simple rule of adding an S or Ies is not followed and some different rules are followed. Let’s discuss some of them.

There are so many irregular nouns and similarly while forming their plurals we follow irregular forms. First by changing their vowel or adding –en or by following a foreign rule.

Singular Plural

Man Men

Woman women

Child Children

Ox Oxen

Foot Feet

Tooth Teeth

Goose Geese

Mouse Mice (mousse)

Criterion Criterion

Phenomenon Phenomena

A few Nouns ending with –F form plural with –ves.

Wife Wives

Loaf Loaves

Wolf Wolves

Leaf Leaves

Scarf Scarves

Hoof Scarves

But proof Becomes Proofs.

Some nouns have two forms.

Formula Formulas/formulae

Focus Focuses/foci

Data Datum/Datas

Some nouns are used only in singular:

News, Music, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics Etc. Including other scientific subjects.

Some other nouns are used only in plural:

Spectacles, Scissors, trousers, jeans, thanks, Congratulations police, cattle etc.

Should we like to make them in singular we use the construction like a pair of trousers, or Jeans, A policeman, One cattle, A pair of spectacles.